Former Minister and senior congress leader JC Diwakar reddy today reportedly refused to listen to the advice of the chief minister Kirankumar reddy to work in favour of congress candidate Patil Venugopal reddy who is contesting the legislative council elections from the constituency of local bodies in the Ananthapuram district.

In the wake of the reports that the men of Diwakar reddy in the local bodies in the district had chosen not to work in favour of Patil Venugopal reddy, CM held discussions with Diwakar reddy and requested him to ensure that the members of the local bodies will vote for the congress candidate.

“I don’t think Patil Venugopal reddy is the congress candidate. He must be the man of the former Kadapa MP Mr YS Jaganmohan reddy,” Diwakar reddy is said to have commented in his discussions with the Chief Minister.

The former Minister, who is unhappy at not being inducted into the cabinet, seems to have told Kirankumar reddy that it was difficult for him to restrain his men in the local bodies from going ahead with their decision not to vote for Patil Venugopal reddy. “I have to go by the advice of my men in the local bodies and I cannot force them to change their decision,” he reportedly told the chief minister.